This week's insider music news

The du World Music Festival returns, another new festival is born and two
new venues are on the way

By
Rob Garratt
19 February 2013

We’re pleased to hear that a third du World Music Festival has been confirmed for next month. For the first time, the 16-day event will spread across both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with the festival moving to three new venues at Dubai Media City, Dubai Tennis Stadium and Abu Dhabi’s du Arena. While last year’s event featured a number of high-profile American jazz names and African legends, headliners for the event, which take place between Friday March 22 and Saturday April 6, are more regionally focused. Alongside Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, the event welcomes Egyptian crooner Amr Diab, UAE singer Hussain Al Jassmi and Indian guitar band Thermal And A Quarter.

That’s not the only festival news: a brand new city-wide music event is taking place next month. We were waiting to hear more as we went to press, although we do know that the oddly named My Music X festival will take place from Wednesday March 27 until Saturday 30. It will host a music academy and art exhibition alongside gigs across the city, with industry folk being flown in to hunt the region’s talent.

Just weeks after Slash rocked Dubai, it was announced his former band – or what’s left of them – will play down the road in Abu Dhabi. Following a well-remembered gig in December 2010, Guns N’ Roses return to du Arena on Thursday March 28.

Elsewhere, we have the lowdown on two new venues. Cabaret-style Vegas joint The Act will open next month on the 42nd and 43rd floors of the Shangri-La, while Dubai’s very own Jazz@PizzaExpress club opened recently in JLT – although it was still waiting for a licence as we went to press. That’s all for now, party people – it’s time to get out and play.